Judge finds fired RTA uppercut bus driver Artis Hughes guilty

The RTA bus driver caught on video punching a female bus passenger has changed his plea.

WEWS

The RTA bus driver caught on video punching a female bus passenger has changed his plea.

WEWS

WEWS

Copyright 2013 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

WEWS

Copyright 2013 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

WEWS

Copyright 2013 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

WEWS

Copyright 2013 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Copyright 2013 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

CLEVELAND - The RTA bus driver caught on video punching a female bus passenger has been found guilty.

Artis Hughes changed his plea from not guilty to no contest in Shaker Heights Municipal Court Tuesday morning. The judge then ruled he was guilty of assault. A probation officer will be assigned to the case, then report back to the judge after an evaluation.

Hughes could face up to a $1,000 fine, six months in prison or five years probation. A judge has not set a sentencing date at this time.

Video that surfaced in October and then went viral shows the 59-year-old Hughes uppercutting 25-year-old woman Shi'dea Lane who allegedly refused to pay a fare, according to the police report.

Hughes was suspended and eventually fired in the aftermath. The Cleveland RTA union voted in favor of arbitration for Hughes in January.

Lane was charged with disorderly conduct.

Copyright 2013 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.